Transcript: Kerry Speaks to NAACP Convention

Sen. John Kerry delivered remarks at the NAACP convention in Philadelphia Thursday. Here is a transcript.

KERRY: Thank you, Julian Bond.

Thank you, NAACP. Thank you for a wonderful, generous, warm embrace this morning. I am honored to be here with you.

And I am...

(APPLAUSE)

I was listening to Julian introduce me and I said, We’ve got to finish this presumptive stuff and get this thing done. I tell you.

(APPLAUSE)

It’s an honor to be here. Julian Bond sent electricity through this country when he burst on the scene as a young man. And I remember watching him set an example for our country, and he is still setting an example for our country.

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He is eloquent. He is powerful. And Kweisi Mfume, I have such pride in my friendship, such pride in his leadership and in his accomplishments. I know you join me in thanking him for his graceful, eloquent leadership of the NAACP.

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I’m honored to be here also with Roz Brock, your vice chair.

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And I will tell you, word travels fast, but I got the word that there is somebody here from New York who is the powerhouse of all the branches in New York (inaudible). I want to pay my homage to Hazel Duke, who just keeps on keeping on.

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Nobody works harder.

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It’s also a great privilege for me to be here in Philadelphia, the honorable mayor, John Street, presides over this city.

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And it’s a pleasure for me to be here with him.

Lieutenant Governor Catherine Baker Knoll is here. And we’re appreciative for the lieutenant governor’s presence.

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And my friend and a member of Congress and a man I need in the United States Senate when I’m president to help us pass our agenda, and that’s Congressman Joe Hoeffel. You need to send him to the Congress.

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I am very grateful for the leadership and the fact that we will have the first African-American chair of the Democratic National Convention, Alice Huffman. And I’m grateful that Alice is here to do that.

Thank you, Alice.

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And you know, I am really blessed because in these last weeks, I have had the counsel, the help, the stewardship of a wonderful woman. The more I get to know her, the more I appreciate her qualities of leadership. She is the former secretary of labor, and she’s working full time with me now. Will you welcome Alexis Herman, who is helping me do a great job here.

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Thank you. I’m here, man, I’m ready. And I need you.

OK.

AUDIENCE: And I’m for you.

KERRY: Thank you. And I need that. I need your energy. This is the energy that’s going to help us change America in a few months.

(APPLAUSE)

And I welcome it. Thank you.

Now, I want you to know, I’m honored to be here. I understand, listening to Julian and recognizing what’s been going on, I understand you’ve been having trouble getting some speakers.

(LAUGHTER)

So I want to thank you for the invitation. Some people may have better things to do. But there’s no place that I’d rather be right now than right here in Philadelphia with the NAACP.

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As a campaigner, I know something about scheduling and conflicts and hostile environments.

(LAUGHTER)

But you know what, when you’re president of the United States, you can pretty much say where you want to be and when.

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And when you’re president -- and when you’re president, you need to talk to all of the people. And that’s exactly what I intend to do.

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I will be a president who is truly a uniter, not one who seeks to divide one nation by race or riches or by any other label. And you know something? The president may be too busy to speak to you now, but I’ve got news for you. He’s going to have plenty of time after November 2nd.

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And you know, the vice president -- the vice president’s having some trouble with the language that he uses to talk to fellow senators these days.

I don’t know, folks, but I tell you what, if he needs something to swear about, John Edwards and I are going to give him something to swear about on November 2nd. That’s what...

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